Golf tee having a vertically adjustable ground engaging collar



Dec. 17, 1963 CABQT 3,114,557

GOLF TEE HAVING A VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE GROUND ENGAGING COLLAR Filed 00t- 25. 1960 INVENTOR NAT cAapT United States Patent Ofifice 3,114,557 Patented Dec. 17, 1963 3,114,557 GOLF TEE HAVING A VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE GROUND ENGAGING COLLAR Nat Cabot, 29 W. 47th St., New York, NY. Filed Oct. 25, 1960, Ser. No. 64,857 3 Claims. (Cl. 273-202) The present invention relates to an improved golf tee.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved golf tee which is adjustable so that the ball may be positioned at a predetermined height above the ground in order to adapt the tee to the stature of a player.

Another object of the invention is to provide a golf tee of the type in which the seat for the ball is adapted to be adjustably arranged at predetermined heights above the ground, with means for conveniently and positively controlling the adjustment of the seat.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved means for adjusting the height of the seat of a golf tee relative to the ground, so that the ball may be positioned at a desired height to suit varying requirements of different players or to satisfy different driving conditions.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved golf tee of the above type which may be manufactured in large quantities at low cost.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a golf tee of the type in which the ball will be supported at a predetermined height relative to the ground, which is capable of being produced in approximately the same price range, is as conveniently portable, and is as readily useable as the standard type of golf tee.

With these and other objects in view, which will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the various unique, practical and illustrative improvements shown in the accompanying drawings, the present invention comprises the novel elements, features of construction and arrangement of parts in cooperative relationship, as more particularly indicated and defined by the hereto appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the golf tee constructed according to the present invention, the collar being shown fixed in one adjusted position;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation partly in section showing the main body of the golf tee rotated through an angle of 90 degrees from the position shown in FIG. 1 and the collar in an intermediate position thereon;

FIG. 3 is a section taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a section taken along the line 4--4 of FIG. 2.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 to 4 inclusive, my improved tee comprises an elongated cylindrical peg 41 of desired dimensions having one end portion pointed, as indicated at 42 to facilitate its insertion into the ground. The opposite end portion of the peg 41 is provided with a substantially concave-convex head 43 of requisite dimension affording a seat 44 upon which the ball (not shown) is adapted to be placed.

A plurality of pairs of lugs 45, 46, 47, 48 and 49 are arranged in suitable spaced apart relationship lengthwise of the peg 41, the uppermost pair of lugs 45 being located adjacent to the ball supporting head portion 43, and the lowermost pair of lugs 49 being located adjacent to the pointed end portion 42.

The lugs of each pair are diametrically disposed with respect to each other, the arrangement of the lugs being such that the lugs are in vertical alinement so as to provide two rows lengthwise of the peg 41, in the manner shown best in FIG. 2.

The lugs are of substantially uniform breadth and are spacd apart lengthwise of the peg 41 substantially uniform distances to provide a series of gaps or spaces between the adjacent ends thereof. Thus, between the lugs 45 and 46 there are spaces 51, between the lugs 46 and 47 there are spaces 52, between the lugs 47 and 48 there are spaces 53, and between the lugs 48 and 49 there are spaces 54.

The ends of the lugs are preferably of a spherical form, as indicated at 56, for a purpose to be hereinafter more fully described.

Mounted upon the peg 41 for adjustment lengthwise thereof and operating to limit the extent of insertion of the peg 41 within the ground, is a collar 60.

This collar comprises a circular disk of suitable dimensions, having an opening 61 formed concentrically therein and arranged to fit smoothly around the shank of the peg 41 so that the collar will be supported thereby.

The collar 60 has a thickness corresponding substantially to the width of the spaces 51, 52, 53 and 54, so that said collar can be positioned in any one of said spaces when it is in an adjusted position on said peg.

A pair of diametrically disposed notches 62 are formed in the body of the collar 60, said notches extending radially outwardly from the wall of the opening 61 for a suitable distance and terminating in an outer end wall surface 63. The notches 62 have substantially parallel side walls 64 which are spaced apart a distance to freely receive between them the lugs on the peg 41 in the manner shown in FIG. 4.

When the peg 41 is oriented from the position shown in FIG. 3 to the position in which the notches 62 register with the lugs, as shown in FIG. 4, the collar 60 is freely movable lengthwise of said peg in a straight direction so that it can be arranged in a desired position thereon in one of the spaces 51, 52, 53 or 54, to limit the extent of insertion of the peg 41 within the ground. Thus, in FIG. 1 the collar 60 is illustrated in one adjusted position on the peg 41, and in FIG. 2 said collar is illustrated in an intermediate position between the spaces 52 and 53, in which the collar is movable lengthwise of the lug 47.

In order to retain the collar 60 in an adjusted position on the peg 41, said collar is formed with a plurality of studs, indicated at 66, 67, 68 and 69 in FIGS. 3 and 4, where it will be noted that the studs 66 and 67 constitute one pair and the studs 68 and 69 constitute a second pair.

The srtuds are substantially similarly formed and are dome-shaped to provide a spherical surface adapted to engage the spherical surfaces 56 of the lugs when the collar is in an adjusted position on the peg 4 1, as shown in FIG. 1. Thus, as shown in FIG. 3, the studs 66 and 67 are located at opposite sides of one lug 47, and the studs 68- and 69 are located at (the opposite sides of the other lug 47. The construction and arrangement of the parts is such that the lugs 47 are interlocked between both pairs of studs so that the collar is frictionally retained in a non-rotatable position on the peg 41. Said lugs and studs are made fro-m suitable material so that expansion and con-traction of the studs and lugs relatively to each other can occur and perform the interlocking function. Also, the collar 60 will be fixedly supported in adjusted position on the peg 41, since the notches 62 are out of alignment with the lugs, as shown in FIG. 3. Consequently, movement of the collar 60 relative to the peg 41 is prevented in either a rectilinear or a rotary direction.

It will be understood that a player can quickly set the collar 60 in a space between the lugs by which the collar will provide means for limiting the distance the peg 41 can be inserted into the ground for the purpose heretofore referred to, and to facilitate operation of the device, the head 43 may be formed with a serrated peripheral side wall 71, and the peripheral wall 72 of the collar 60 may be likewise serrated.

When it is desired to adjust the position of the collar 60 on the peg 41, the operator holds the collar with one hand and grasps the head 46 of the peg 41 with the other hand to impart movements of the collar relative to the pin in the manner above described.

While I have described the invention in great detail and with respect to the present preferred forms thereof, it is not desired to be limited thereto since changes and modifications may be made therein without departin g from the spirit and scope of the invention. The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. The present ernbodiments are therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

1. A golf tee comprising an elongated cylindrical peg provided with a ball seat at one end portion and a point on the other end portion, a plurality of diametrically disposed pairs of lugs arranged in vertical spaced relationship lengthwise of said peg below said ball seat, a collar comprising top, bottom and edge portions having a bore of a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of said peg to allow for rotational movement on said peg, and having a pair of diametrically disposed notches extending radially outwardly from the inner wall of said bore, of a size slightly large-r than the size of the lugs on said peg to allow vertical movement of said collar on said peg when said lugs and notches are in vertical alignment, spaced pairs of studs disposed at right angles to said notches on the top of said collar, the vertical distance between the lugs being slightly greater than the thickness of said collar alone, and slightly smaller than the thickness of the collar plus the height of the studs, whereby when said collar is positioned between selected pairs of lugs on said cylindrical peg it may be rotated to position said selected pairs of lugs between said pairs of studs, said lugs and studs being made of suitable material so that said rotational movement compresses said lugs and studs relatively to each other during said positioning movement, and said collar then being held in position on said peg to limit the insertion of said peg into the ground.

2. A tee as set forth in claim 1, in which the studs are rounded.

3. A tee as set forth in claim 1, in which the lugs are rounded.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A GOLF TEE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED CYLINDRICAL PEG PROVIDED WITH A BALL SEAT AT ONE END PORTION AND A POINT ON THE OTHER END PORTION, A PLURALITY OF DIAMETRICALLY DISPOSED PAIRS OF LUGS ARRANGED IN VERTICAL SPACED RELATIONSHIP LENGTHWISE OF SAID PEG BELOW SAID BALL SEAT, A COLLAR COMPRISING TOP, BOTTOM AND EDGE PORTIONS HAVING A BORE OF A DIAMETER SLIGHTLY LARGER THAN THE DIAMETER OF SAID PEG TO ALLOW FOR ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT ON SAID PEG, AND HAVING A PAIR OF DIAMETRICALLY DISPOSED NOTCHES EXTENDING RADIALLY OUTWARDLY FROM THE INNER WALL OF SAID BORE, OF A SIZE SLIGHTLY LARGER THAN THE SIZE OF THE LUGS ON SAID PEG TO ALLOW VERTICAL MOVEMENT OF SAID COLLAR ON SAID PEG WHEN SAID LUGS AND NOTCHES ARE IN VERTICAL ALIGNMENT, SPACED PAIRS OF STUDS DISPOSED AT RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID NOTCHES ON THE TOP OF SAID COLLAR, THE VERTICAL DISTANCE 